Paul Ibe, the media aide to Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of engaging in propaganda and misinformation.
The allegations come amid ongoing protests by Nigerian youths, who began a 10-day demonstration on August 1 to voice their discontent with bad governance and economic hardship in the country.
The controversy erupted on Wednesday, Day 7 of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest, when a video of President Tinubu pleading with Nigerians to give his administration more time was widely circulated on social media. However, hours later, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy, clarified on his X account that the video was not recent but from a broadcast made last year.
In a statement on Thursday, Ibe condemned the Nigerian government for allegedly using misinformation and disinformation as a state policy, especially during a time when such tactics are fueling public outrage globally. He criticized the Tinubu administration for attempting to “pull the wool over the eyes of Nigerians” by recycling old content to distract the public.
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“The scenario says a lot about the character of the Tinubu presidency, the proficiency of his media managers, and the attitude that the presidency accords the current #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protest,” Ibe stated. He described the administration’s actions as symptomatic of a broader pattern of propaganda and misinformation.
Ibe called for a sincere apology from the presidency, arguing that the Nigerian people deserve better than to be misled through what he described as “trial-and-error policies” and media mismanagement. He added that the incident underscores why many Nigerians have lost confidence in the Tinubu administration, pointing to a perceived lack of credibility.
The allegations reflect growing tension between the government and the public as the country grapples with widespread dissatisfaction over governance and economic conditions.
